So, you married a hypochondriac. Whether you knew that your husband was a hypochondriac or not before you got married, you likely have been seeing signs and symptoms for some time now. Maybe your husband worried about catching specific diseases or illnesses after hearing about them for the first time. Maybe your husband was known for fixating on specific symptoms and worrying that they were indicative of a serious disease. Regardless of how you found out that your husband is a hypochondriac, he probably needs some support from you. Hypochondria is a tough mental condition to have, and it’s not easy to go through it alone. Luckily, your husband has you…and we have you as far as suggestions go!
Here are 12 ways to support your hypochondriac husband:
Do your own research to learn more about his condition.
The first step you can take in supporting your hypochondriac husband is to learn more about his condition. If you don’t know much about hypochondria, please peruse some of our articles to learn more about it.
When you learn more about hypochondria, you will understand that it is not your husband’s fault that he has these thoughts and worries. Hypochondria is an excessive worry about getting sick or injured when the medical evidence suggests that person is otherwise healthy. Understanding more about hypochondria is crucial to being able to support your husband through his lowest lows, his highest highs, and all of the (many, many, many) doctor’s appointments in between. Understanding hypochondria will also allow you to support your husband with grace, compassion, and patience.
Schedule regular checkups with his doctor.
As a hypochondriac, your husband is likely to be fixated on his health and any potential health problems he may have. It’s important to remember that his anxiety is real and should be taken seriously. One of the best ways you can support your husband is by scheduling regular checkups with his doctor. This way, he can get any tests or screenings he needs to put his mind at ease. This will also help your husband to establish a relationship with his doctor, who can be made aware of his hypochondria. It’s always a good idea for a doctor to be made aware that a person has hypochondria. This is because they will be able to interact with that person with much more patience and understanding.
Keep track of his symptoms in a journal.
Your husband likely is going to notice symptoms pop up, even after a recent doctor’s visit. You can help your husband out by writing down any of the symptoms he has in a journal. That way, you can have a log of the symptoms to bring up at his next doctor’s appointment. Having this journal will also help your husband be able to identify patterns, triggers, and other thought processes. For example, if your husband starts to notice more symptoms on a day after he hasn’t had very much sleep, that may be something worth noting. If your husband starts to notice more symptoms after he has had a stressful work day, that may also be something worth noting.
If you notice anything unusual in his symptoms, you can always bring the journal to your husband’s primary doctor. Your husband’s doctor will likely be able to make light of the symptoms your husband has been experiencing. In addition, he will be able to tell him if he is fine or if he needs to be worried. Having the symptom history written down in a journal will be extremely helpful for your husband’s doctor. This will aid him in making a final diagnosis for your husband.
Encourage him to take his medications as prescribed.
Some hypochondriacs take medications to help manage their condition. If your husband has been prescribed medication to help reduce his hypochondriac tendencies, encourage him to take his medications as prescribed! Some hypochondriacs feel good after they have been taking their medications for a while. Then, they decide that they no longer need their medication. In the case of medications, adjusting one’s dose or going off of a medication should always be prescribed and monitored by a medical professional. Remind your husband to keep taking his medications as prescribed. If he wants to come off of his medications, encourage him to make an appointment with his doctor to discuss the idea.
Help him to stick to a healthy diet.
Healthy diets are great for hypochondriacs for two reasons: firstly, healthy diets help people be healthy. What a concept! Secondly, healthy diets help reduce anxiety, and may help reduce your husband’s hypochondriac symptoms. The first step in helping your hypochondriac husband stick to a healthy diet is to make sure his meals are comprised of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The two of you can have fun meal prepping together to make sure that all of his meals fit this standard. By meal prepping together, you will also be avoiding processed foods – which are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
Another great way to help your husband stick to a healthy diet is to cut up fruits and vegetables and have them ready in the fridge any time a snacking urge occurs. Many people choose fast foods because they are easy, but by doing all of the prep work ahead of time, you will be removing the temptation.
Lastly, encourage your husband to drink water! Drinking 8 or more glasses of water per day is essential to having a healthy diet; it can help flush toxins out of the body, and just helps everything run more smoothly. To encourage your husband to drink more water, try doing a “water challenge” with him to see who can drink the most water throughout a 24-hour period. Whomever loses has to give the other person a back rub!
Keep the house clean and free of clutter.
Something unexpected you can do to support your hypochondriac husband is to keep the house free of clutter. For somebody who is struggling with a mental condition, reducing external stimuli will be extremely helpful. Clutter is one of those visual stimuli that could make it harder for anybody with a mental condition to relax. This could be as simple as making sure that toys, dishes, and clothes are put away at the end of each night. This doesn’t mean that you have to do all of the work yourself – far from it! Loop your husband in on the nightly visual decluttering routine, and you will both be happier and much more able to take on the next day’s challenges!
Limit his exposure to germs and bacteria.
Your hypochondriac husband is likely very nervous about germs and bacteria. While getting sick can sometimes be unavoidable, it makes sense for a hypochondriac to limit exposure to germs and bacteria whenever possible to avoid unnecessary symptoms that may cause a series of anxiety attacks. Luckily, there are some very easy ways to limit your hypochondriac husband’s exposure to germs and bacteria, including being vigilant about hand-washing and encouraging him to use hand sanitizer when he is out of the home.
You should also avoid letting your husband touch doorknobs, door handles, and other common surfaces where germs can reside. If he must touch these things, make sure he uses gloves or wipes them down with a sanitizing wipe afterwards. There are also handle openers that you can purchase which would allow your hypochondriac husband to open doors and touch keypads without ever actually having to use his hands to touch the surface.
Help him to get adequate rest and sleep.
For hypochondriacs, getting adequate rest and sleep is extremely important. When you’re well-rested, you’re able to think more clearly and make better decisions. You’re also less likely to worry about your health. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have the time it needs to heal. This can lead to a host of problems, including anxiety, depression, and even physical illness. It is very important to make sure that your hypochondriac husband gets at least eight hours of sleep every night.
Try to encourage your husband to avoid working late nights or taking naps during the day, as both of these activities can affect his ability to sleep later on in the day. If your husband is somebody who has problems sleeping, there are several things he can do to remedy this:
Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine. This could include taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to calm music – or all of the above!
Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bed. Both of these substances can interfere with your husband’s sleep. If he can’t avoid caffeine entirely, try to make sure that your husband is consuming caffeine much earlier in the day.
Ensure Your Bedroom is Dark, Quiet, and Free of Distractions. If you or your husband have computers, cell phones, or tablets in the bedroom – now would be a good time to get rid of them. It’s much harder to go to sleep in a room with distractions…especially distractions that emit lots of blue light! Another good way to ensure that your bedroom is dark is to invest in room-darkening curtains. That way, your husband can go to bed at a reasonable time even during the summer months when it stays light very late.
Encourage him to exercise regularly.
If your hypochondriac husband doesn’t exercise regularly, it’s time for him to start. Exercise has SO many benefits…especially for hypochondriacs! Firstly, exercise releases endorphins, which have been proven to have mood-boosting effects. Exercise can also boost your immune system, which can make you less likely to get sick in the first place (music to your hypochondriac husband’s ears!) as well as improving your overall health mentally and physically.
In order to encourage your husband to exercise regularly, try doing it with him! Ask if he wants to go on a walk every day after dinner, or see if he wants to go for a hike on the weekends. The more the two of you work out and exercise together, the more he will view it as not only a fun way to get healthy, but also as a way to spend time with his favorite person – you!
Help him to manage stress in positive ways.
We all know that there are good ways to manage stress, and there are bad ways to manage stress. We’re all pretty familiar with the bad ways of managing stress (eating junk food, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, lying around all day, playing excessive video games, spending excessive time on social media) that won’t make anything better. However, there are some good ways that he can manage stress to avoid triggering any sort of hypochondriac panic attack.
Make time for relaxation. Encourage your hypochondriac husband to take time each day to do something that he enjoys. Whether it’s reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature, relaxation time is important.
Connect with others. Spending time with friends and loved ones can help reduce your husband’s stress. Talking about your worries with someone who cares can also be helpful. Encourage your husband to be open with his friends and family about his condition so that he can start to receive support from other people besides just you.
Practice stress-reducing techniques. There are many different techniques that can help reduce stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga. Find one that works for your husband and encourage him to practice it regularly. In order to be even more supportive, you can go a step above and beyond and snag your husband a membership to Headspace or Calm. Both of those apps allow individuals to take guided meditations on their phone, which can be helpful if somebody is known for struggling with meditating.
Seek professional help if his anxiety is out of control.
If your hypochondriac husband’s anxiety is out of control, it may be time to seek professional help. Our first recommendation is to reach out to your husband’s doctor to see if they can recommend any mental health professionals who specialize in hypochondria or have had experience treating hypochondriac patients. If your husband’s doctor does not know of any mental health professionals whom specialize in hypochondria, don’t worry – there are other resources! There are several online directories, such as Psychology Today, where you are able to search mental health professionals who are local and who can assist your husband with his hypochondria.
Be patient and understanding.
It is important to remember that your husband is not purposely trying to make your life difficult. He is genuinely concerned about his health and wants to make sure that he is taking care of himself. Therefore, the easiest way to support your hypochondriac husband is to be patient and understanding with them. It will mean the world to him that you are taking the time to listen to him and reassuring him that you will be there for him, through sickness and in health, for the rest of your days together.
Disclaimer: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
If you are currently experiencing medical concerns, it’s important to talk to a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. HypochondriacHQ does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this website.
